The Internet has evolved as a useful tool for the exchange of goods, and various online marketplaces or other websites now enable users to list items for sale with relative ease. As part of this process, a user may capture an image of the item he or she wishes to sell, and may upload the image to the respective website when generating a listing on the website. The operators of such websites generally have relatively strict image quality requirements that must be satisfied before the image may be uploaded. For example, website operators typically require that the image of the item is free from shadows. Such website operators also typically require the image to have a minimum level of sharpness, brightness, and/or clarity before permitting the image to be uploaded.
While existing photo or digital imaging systems may enable a user to capture an image of an item using a smart phone, a digital camera, or other like imaging device, the images obtained using such systems usually do not satisfy the image quality requirements described above. In particular, such systems do not enable the user to obtain shadow-free images. Further, such systems typically have limited lighting capabilities, and, as a result, the images obtained using such systems are of relatively poor quality. Further, the light assemblies associated with such systems are prone to overheating which can result in premature light source failure and/or damage to various components of the system. Additionally, such systems are not easily transportable or storable without significant disassembly.